How many CCW guns is enough?
- Thread starter JDGray
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loboloco
Member
Re: how many is too many..?
depends on a lot of factors...body size, enviroment/weather conditions, what you're comfortable with, etc... I'm 6'4" and 240 lbs, and generally wear a 3XL flannel shirt where ever I go, and if I ever felt so inclined, could comfortably carry my .40 cal Beretta 90-TWO, Taurus PT1911, and a Remington NMA with a .45 Colt conversion cylinder with only mild discomfort...
depends on a lot of factors...body size, enviroment/weather conditions, what you're comfortable with, etc... I'm 6'4" and 240 lbs, and generally wear a 3XL flannel shirt where ever I go, and if I ever felt so inclined, could comfortably carry my .40 cal Beretta 90-TWO, Taurus PT1911, and a Remington NMA with a .45 Colt conversion cylinder with only mild discomfort...
guntotinguy
Member
Yes...in Nevada the guns qualified with are listed on the back of the permit card.Except for revolvers,once qualified with one revolver (listed on permit BTW) than any revolver you OWN (with proof/blue card) is legal to carry.All autoloaders are listed...
MCgunner
Member
Christ, clean that little Kel Tec. 
I can walk and chew gum at the same time. However, my regular carries all fire with the pull of a trigger. Now, on the Ruger P guns, I have to remember to decock before holstering, but my DAOs and my revolvers all work the same and that's why I have 'em and don't even own a single action auto/1911 type gun. I can't give up carrying my revolvers, so my autos work the same way, at least on the first shot. I don't like 1911s, anyway. Had two, don't anymore.
I can walk and chew gum at the same time. However, my regular carries all fire with the pull of a trigger. Now, on the Ruger P guns, I have to remember to decock before holstering, but my DAOs and my revolvers all work the same and that's why I have 'em and don't even own a single action auto/1911 type gun. I can't give up carrying my revolvers, so my autos work the same way, at least on the first shot. I don't like 1911s, anyway. Had two, don't anymore.
Isn't there a contradiction in advice to "train, train, train" until things are pretty much automatic, and having "the presence of mind" to know which of several different kinds of guns you are carrying at any given time? Some folks complicate things still further by changing the gun's position depending on the gun or which holster matches their socks or something.
I have never (thank Heaven) been in a gun fight, though I came close a couple of times as a LEO. But IMHO, a person in a tight corner will have a lot to consider - where the gun is, whether it is loaded, and how to get it into action shouldn't be among them.
I know that some folks who like guns will carry different guns, just for the heck of doing so. One fellow said he rotated guns from his collection, carrying a different one every day. Another said he carried three guns, all different, but didn't really have time or money to practice with any of them.
Those guys may be very nice folks, with good intentions, but I still think those are the attitudes of a gun hobbyist, not of someone in real and imminent danger.
Jim
I have never (thank Heaven) been in a gun fight, though I came close a couple of times as a LEO. But IMHO, a person in a tight corner will have a lot to consider - where the gun is, whether it is loaded, and how to get it into action shouldn't be among them.
I know that some folks who like guns will carry different guns, just for the heck of doing so. One fellow said he rotated guns from his collection, carrying a different one every day. Another said he carried three guns, all different, but didn't really have time or money to practice with any of them.
Those guys may be very nice folks, with good intentions, but I still think those are the attitudes of a gun hobbyist, not of someone in real and imminent danger.
Jim
Unless your out looking for trouble, no one really knows when it may happen. Being aware of your surroundings gives you a leg up, but whens trouble gonna find us? If I knew that, I would only carry on those days. Of course, my gun better match my shoes
I have 2 platforms I carry, 1911 (Springer micro or Commander) and DAO (G36 or G19). I have holsters for each one of my range guns for competition, but I've practiced enough with 1911's and DAO that these are what I prefer to carry. I have no problem with those who want to carry a different gun each day just so long as they have enough range time with it.
moooose102
Member
1, IF it's a 45!
DWARREN123
Member
For me 2. GLOCK 23 and 27, they are very similar in everything and do what I want. The 27 will take the 23 mags and trigger pull is identical as is fit. They carry almost the same also and can use the same holsters.
The Lone Haranguer
Member
About 10 or 12 years ago Duane Thomas wrote an article for Handguns in which he recommended four CCW guns. They were as follows:
Main gun - no particular recommendation, but it needs to be a service-size or at the least a "reduced-service-size" handgun, chosen more for shooting qualities than compactness, in minimum 9mm (for autos) or .38 Special (for revolvers) caliber. This would be the gun carried most of the time.
Backup gun - small revolver or pocket auto; he specifically recommended the S&W 642.
"Church" gun - a very small hideout gun for when everything else is too big. He recommended the Seecamp .32; the Kel-Tec and Ruger LCP were not in production at the time.
Replacement for the main gun. If you are involved in a shooting your gun will be taken from you until the investigation is completed, case adjudicated or whatever. It did not have to be a duplicate, although this was recommended due to being able to use the same carry gear. The important thing is to have something to use.
To date, I see nothing wrong with this reasoning.
Main gun - no particular recommendation, but it needs to be a service-size or at the least a "reduced-service-size" handgun, chosen more for shooting qualities than compactness, in minimum 9mm (for autos) or .38 Special (for revolvers) caliber. This would be the gun carried most of the time.
Backup gun - small revolver or pocket auto; he specifically recommended the S&W 642.
"Church" gun - a very small hideout gun for when everything else is too big. He recommended the Seecamp .32; the Kel-Tec and Ruger LCP were not in production at the time.
Replacement for the main gun. If you are involved in a shooting your gun will be taken from you until the investigation is completed, case adjudicated or whatever. It did not have to be a duplicate, although this was recommended due to being able to use the same carry gear. The important thing is to have something to use.
To date, I see nothing wrong with this reasoning.
10-Ring
Member
Really, the first one filled the "need" the rest address the want
wuchak
Member
I suppose if you are buying guns because you need a special one to carry when the third full moon of the year falls on Thursday because the one you carry when it falls on Friday will never do, then you might be approaching "enough" but much like light-speed enough can be approached but never actually reached.
papajohn
Member
I don't want to sound arrogant here, but when my hand closes around the butt of my carry guns, it KNOWS which one it is, and reacts accordingly. With the revolvers it doesn't matter, with the two autos I carry concealed, they feel totally different. It's not a matter of remembering what I have on, the moment my hand closes around it I rely on muscle memory. The heavy one is the 40, the light one is the 45, and the fingers just know. I guess I have smart hands. At least they have better memory than my head does!
PJ
PJ
If your gun works, you don't need a backup, a replacement and two or three other guns hanging around. I don't carry guns that don't work.
And then there was the guy who posted a year or so back that he carried two big Glocks, two small Glocks, two extra magazines for each, two boxes of ammunition, and a pair of nun-chuks. I always wondered how big he was and if he could walk with all that junk on him.
Jim
And then there was the guy who posted a year or so back that he carried two big Glocks, two small Glocks, two extra magazines for each, two boxes of ammunition, and a pair of nun-chuks. I always wondered how big he was and if he could walk with all that junk on him.
Jim
doc2rn
Member
I havent read them all yet but I would have to say two. One for each hand.
DMK
Member
Everything has the potential to break, usually when it is most inconvenient. Everything wears out eventually.
I like to have a backup gun to my carry gun. Right now I have three primary CCWs (Colt CCO 1911, S&W 642 and a Keltec P32). I very rarely carry the Keltec though. I have a couple j-frames that could stand in for the 642, but I need to get another CCO sized 1911 in case it breaks, I ever need to send it to a gunsmith, or it gets stolen or something.
Yea, I'd agree. I've gone for months of exclusively shooting revolvers, but when I finally bring a 1911 out, I still flick off the safety without even thinking about it.
scurtis_34471
Member
My prefered gun is an XD-40 Service that I carry in a Fist belt slide holster or a CrossBreed SuperTuck IWB holster.
When I need to carry something that prints a little less or just want something a smidge more comfortable for IWB, I carry an XD-40 Subcompact in the same holsters I use for the Service.
The Service and Subcompact both have TruGlo TFO sights and I use Pierce grip extensions with the Subcompact, so they are as funcationally identical as possible.
In situations where I cannot conceal the somewhat chunky XDs, I carry a Kahr P9 Covert in a High Noon Split Decision tuckable IWB or a Galco Pocket Protector pocket holster. I just picked up some Ameriglo sights for it that I need to get installed.
Notice that all of my carry guns have the same manual of arms. Not one of them has a manual safety. I think that switching back and forth between guns with grip safeties, slide safeties and no safeties is a formula for messing up at a critical moment. Its fine for range toys, but I think consistency is very important for carry guns.
When I need to carry something that prints a little less or just want something a smidge more comfortable for IWB, I carry an XD-40 Subcompact in the same holsters I use for the Service.
The Service and Subcompact both have TruGlo TFO sights and I use Pierce grip extensions with the Subcompact, so they are as funcationally identical as possible.
In situations where I cannot conceal the somewhat chunky XDs, I carry a Kahr P9 Covert in a High Noon Split Decision tuckable IWB or a Galco Pocket Protector pocket holster. I just picked up some Ameriglo sights for it that I need to get installed.
Notice that all of my carry guns have the same manual of arms. Not one of them has a manual safety. I think that switching back and forth between guns with grip safeties, slide safeties and no safeties is a formula for messing up at a critical moment. Its fine for range toys, but I think consistency is very important for carry guns.
DirksterG30
Member
I currently have 3 guns that I CCW:
The P-01 is my cooler weather CCW, as well as my HD pistol. The Kahr MK9 is used when I can pocket carry, or during the summer when I'm wearing a t-shirt with a short-sleeved button shirt over it, or If I will have to tuck in my shirt (I use a C-TAC tuckable holster). The Kel-Tec P3AT is pocket-carried when I cannot carry anything larger. The Springfield 1911 is only a range gun now, but will probably join the lineup as a cold-weather/house gun.
The P-01 is my cooler weather CCW, as well as my HD pistol. The Kahr MK9 is used when I can pocket carry, or during the summer when I'm wearing a t-shirt with a short-sleeved button shirt over it, or If I will have to tuck in my shirt (I use a C-TAC tuckable holster). The Kel-Tec P3AT is pocket-carried when I cannot carry anything larger. The Springfield 1911 is only a range gun now, but will probably join the lineup as a cold-weather/house gun.
rainbowbob
Member
I CCW a Chief's Special IWB. Unfortunately, it is the only suitable carry gun I own at this point.
Last weekend, my buddy and I held our "First Annual Charleton Heston Memorial Snub-Fest Shoot-a-Thon". Since he owns four snubs, I had the opportunity to practice drawing and firing all afternoon with a "New York reload" - the Chief IWB and a "lemon squeezer" (S&W Model 40) in my Mika pocket holster. I loved it! I want one!
So in answer to the OPs question: I would say if I had my druthers I would CCW two j-frames - one (hammerless) in the pocket and one in the belt.
Last weekend, my buddy and I held our "First Annual Charleton Heston Memorial Snub-Fest Shoot-a-Thon". Since he owns four snubs, I had the opportunity to practice drawing and firing all afternoon with a "New York reload" - the Chief IWB and a "lemon squeezer" (S&W Model 40) in my Mika pocket holster. I loved it! I want one!
So in answer to the OPs question: I would say if I had my druthers I would CCW two j-frames - one (hammerless) in the pocket and one in the belt.
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